Marc Soler's attack on La Farrapona too much for Vuelta rivals

Marc Soler delivered a stunning performance on the daunting category one climb to La Farrapona, claiming victory in Stage 14 of the Vuelta a España on Saturday.

Despite Soler’s impressive attack, Jonas Vingegaard held strong to finish second and retain his lead in the general classification, keeping the competition fierce as the race intensifies.

Soler’s decisive move came during the final 16.9-kilometer ascent, where he left his closest rival, Johannes Staune-Mittet, trailing behind. Vingegaard, the race leader, launched a late surge but crossed the finish line 39 seconds behind Soler. Portugal’s Joao Almeida followed closely, securing his position as second overall with a 48-second gap behind Vingegaard, who continues to wear the coveted red jersey.

“This is unbelievable. I cannot explain it… an unexpected day, but I’m very happy,” said the 31-year-old Soler after his first stage win of the Vuelta this year. “I knew the valley road after the climb was tough; if you get a gap there, you can keep it. I was worried about the wind, but it turned out okay.”

Soler’s victory not only marks a personal milestone but also adds a thrilling chapter to the race, highlighting the intense competition among the Vuelta’s top cyclists. As the race moves forward, fans and competitors alike will be watching closely to see if Vingegaard can maintain his lead or if challengers like Almeida or Soler will seize the opportunity to shake up the standings.

Stage 14 Top 10

1. Marc Soler (Spa) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, in 03:48:22
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, +39s
3. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +39s
4. Jai Hindley (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +43s
5. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, +48s
6. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +53s
7. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel-Premier Tech
8. Tom Pidcock (GBr) Q36.5 Pro Cycling
9. Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike, all same time
10. Finlay Pickering (GBr) Bahrain Victorious, +1:25

General Classification after Stage 14

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, in 53:29:49
2. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +48s
3. Tom Pidcock (GBr) Q36.5 Pro Cycling, +2:38
4. Jai Hindley (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +3:10
5. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, +3:30
6. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +4:21
7. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel-Premier Tech, +4:53
8. Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike, +5:46
9. Torstein Træen (Nor) Bahrain Victorious, +6:33
10. Matteo Jorgensen (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike, +8:52